COFFEE COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - On Thursday, Aug. 4, there was a hearing in a nearly 20-year-old cold case involving the death of Doris Worrell out of Coffee County.

Her husband, Jon Worrell, submitted another not-guilty plea in her death.

In May 2025, Jon Worrell was charged with:

• Malice murder
• Felony murder
• Conspiracy to commit murder

Doris was found dead at the family’s locally owned business, Jon’s Sports Park in Douglas, on Sept. 20, 2006.

The break in the case comes after former nanny, Paola Yarberry, who was staying with the couple at the time and later formed a relationship with Jon Worrell, gave investigators new information.

Jon Worrell’s attorney, Travis Griffin, explained why they needed to resubmit their not-guilty plea.

“Apparently, the state perceived there to be some sort of defect in the original indictment, and so they have re-indicted Mr. Worrell essentially for the same charges. And we have entered our plea of not guilty for the second time, where we continue to plead not guilty,” Griffin said.

Others in the courtroom were there for Doris, including her classmate from high school, Lisa Hays. She plans on being there for every step of the trail.

“The person who killed Doris is still out there. And if her husband had anything to do with finding someone to kill her, as the indictment shows, conspiracy to commit murder, I’d like to see it through,” she said.

The next step in the case-- according to Worrell’s attorney-- is trying to have the trial moved out of Coffee County. He believes there could be some bias against his client from an in-county jury.

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